MacKenzie Gore DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore allowed just two runs on four hits in six solid innings in Denver, striking out 13 in a dominant performance. He left the game with a commanding 12-2 lead after striking out his 13th batter to end the sixth inning, but the Nationals' bullpen almost let the game get away before holding on for the 12-11 win. Gore improved to 2-2 with the win and has a 3.41 ERA, 2.30 FIP, and 1.21 WHIP in his five starts. He has an impressive 13.97 K/9 rate, which is the highest mark of qualified pitchers so far this season. Gore had no trouble with the strikeout-prone Rockies and will draw the Orioles at home in his next outing, which is currently scheduled for Thursday. Even in that tougher matchup, Gore is a must-start in all formats after his strong start so far.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore was fantastic on the mound during Thursday's season opener against the Philadelphia Phillies. Gore recorded a career-high 13 strikeouts over six shutout innings in a no-decision. Gore only allowed one hit during his time on the mound as he looked nearly flawless out there. Sadly for Gore, the Nats bullpen was unable to hold the lead for him. Despite that, Gore puts his name in the history books with his franchise-record 13 punchouts. The 26-year-old will certainly be a popular waiver wire pickup after that performance. He'll look to keep it going next week against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Washington Nationals manager Dave Martinez announced that left-handed pitcher MacKenzie Gore will start on Opening Day as the Nationals play host to the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday, March 27. Gore, a former first-round pick by the San Diego Padres in 2017, will be entering his third season with the Nationals and look to start the season on a high note. During the 2024 season, Gore was 10-12 with a 3.90 ERA, 3.53 FIP, and a 10.8 K/9. Gore has been in the big leagues since 2022, and we have continued to see him improve year over year. At NFBC, Gore's ADP is 205 overall, aligning with RotoBaller's current overall rankings of 207 for Gore. Fantasy managers looking for a young arm with upside will want to target him in their upcoming drafts.

Washington Nationals starting pitcher MacKenzie Gore is set to make his spring debut on Saturday. The Nationals will play in split-squad games against the Miami Marlins and St. Louis Cardinals that day. Gore has yet to pitch in a spring training game but has remained active on the mound. He threw two innings against live hitters earlier this week and noted that everything feels "normal" and that he is on the "same schedule as everybody." Gore is expected to serve as the ace of the rotation once again. Last season, the southpaw held a 3.90 ERA and a 1.42 WHIP across 166 1/3 innings of work. He tallied an impressive 181 punchouts but had a high 8.9 percent walk rate. He also generated a modest 4.50 xERA and a .252 xBA, which placed him in the 39th and 31st percentile. Fantasy managers should view Gore as a late-round target when looking to bolster their rotation and increase their strikeout production.

The Washington Nationals previously named left-hander MacKenzie Gore as the starter for their Grapefruit League opener on Saturday against the Houston Astros, but he's being pushed back because he wants to be able to go two innings in his debut. Instead, right-hander Jake Irvin will make the start on Saturday. Gore and Irvin will be Washington's top two starting pitchers heading into the 2025 season, with Gore most likely getting the nod to pitch on Opening Day on March 27 at home against the division-rival Philadelphia Phillies. The 25-year-old southpaw will be looking to take the next step in his third year in D.C. after going 10-12 with a career-best 3.90 ERA (3.53 FIP) and 1.42 WHIP with a career-high 181 strikeouts and 65 walks in 166 1/3 innings over 32 starts. Opponents had a high .340 BABIP against him, but he also had the third-worst WHIP in baseball. Gore is RotoBaller's No. 69 fantasy starting pitcher.